POLICY NOTE

THE GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL AREA AND NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL AREA (CARDOWAN BY STEPPS) BOUNDARIES AMENDMENT ORDER 2018

SSI 2018/308

Policy Objectives

The purpose of the instrument is to give effect to a recommendation for changes to the local government administrative boundary between the Glasgow City council area and the North Lanarkshire council area at Cardowan by Stepps. The recommendation was made to the Scottish Ministers by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland (“the Commission”) following completion by the Commission of its Administrative Review of this boundary.

The Commission is an advisory non-departmental public body created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (“the 1973 Act”). It is an independent body that is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations for:
the number of councillors on each council in a local government area;
the number of wards for local government elections, their boundaries, designations and the number of councillors for each ward; and
the extent of council areas. The legislation which sets out the rules for administrative area reviews is the 1973 Act. When making recommendations the Commission must consider the criteria set out in section 13 of that Act which sets out an overall aim of making changes in the interests of "effective and convenient local government". Once the Commission has submitted its final recommendations arising from such reviews it is for Scottish Ministers to decide whether to implement those recommendations. An administrative area review can recommend the alteration, creation or abolition of a local authority area. In practice the administrative area reviews that have been undertaken so far have led to only minor adjustments to boundaries and this is no different. Several administrative reviews have been undertaken since the current council structure was established in 1996. The Commission estimated that under its proposal around 292 electors would be transferred from Glasgow City council area to North Lanarkshire council area with likely consequential impacts on council tax liability and service provision

Scottish Government decisions In considering whether to implement the Commission’s recommendation the Scottish Ministers have paid close attention to the representations received by the Commission. Only positive representations were made to Ministers directly. As a result of that consideration Ministers have decided to accept the Commission’s recommendation for this Administrative Review.

Consultation The recommendation that is being implemented by this instrument was submitted by the Commission to Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Government has not carried out its own consultations although it is aware of the responses that the Commission received to its consultations. The Scottish Government received two representations, both in favour of the change, after submission of the Commission’s final recommendation. The Commission conducted consultations with both affected councils and then with the public on its proposal before finalising its recommendation: all in accordance with the provisions governing the conduct of reviews set out in section 18 of the 1973 Act. Respondents were mainly in agreement with the proposed change. The Commission’s final report summarises the responses it received to its proposals. Details of the consultation conducted by the Commission, including copies of the responses it received to the consultations, are available on the Commission’s website.

Impact Assessments The instruments will not have any impact on Child Rights and Wellbeing, Equality, Privacy or the environment.

Financial Effects The instrument will have no financial effects on the Scottish Government or on business.

Scottish Government Constitution and Cabinet Directorate